Not Without Casualties
Bad enough they had to leave the nice, cushy Iliad behind, but did they really have to travel to Bekenstien tucked back behind boxes and crates filled with God-only-knew-what? Shit, her time spent with Isaac spoiled Jasmine. She scolded herself, remembering the far worse conditions she'd endured throughout her life without all the bitching. Besides, it wasn't like she hadn't gone from job to job hidden away with the cargo before.
Raúl rolled his head along the wall to look at her without straightening. "Why are you squirming so much?"
"I'm uncomfortable." She sighed and shifted again. "My shoulder is aching."
"Well, stop," he said, turning his head back to stare up at the low ceiling of the cubby they'd claimed as their own. "It's annoying."
She snorted and backhanded his shoulder, making only the gentlest of contact. "Pfft. You're annoying."
He looked at her again, the usual stoicism written all over his face as he simply said, "Child, be still."
"Stop fighting, kids, or I'll turn this ship around." Isaac looked at her and smirked.
"You know … I'm getting real tired of everyone calling me a child." She shifted enough to stretch her legs out, but only by wedging them between crates. "It's not my fault you're all old and going gray."
"Who you talking about?" Isaac huffed. "I don't have any gray hair. I look good."
She grinned at him and said, "Damn right you do, Bossman."
"You didn't seem to think I looked old when you checked me out in the showers on the Iliad," Raúl said, an increasingly familiar teasing quality to his tone.
"You did what, now?" Isaac laughed and shook his head. "Thane know about this, Sunshine?"
"Please," she said to Raúl with a snort and eye-roll, "I gave you a quick once over, that was it. I'm human, deal with it. You would've done the same if the roles were reversed."
"No …" The soft smile slipped from his face, and in that instant, Jasmine remembered who it was she'd reminded him of. "… I wouldn't have."
She gave him a sympathetic frown and nodded. "Yeah, okay. Maybe not with me, but with anyone else."
"Maybe," he said, offering her a consolation prize of a smile.
Isaac hummed and shrugged. "I've checked him out."
Forced smile shifting into a genuine smirk, Raúl's gaze shifted from her to Isaac. "I know."
Donovan Hock's home wasn't just a mansion, it was a goddamn fortress complete with a horde of security guards patrolling the grounds. Surrounded by fields and a lake, it seemed highly unlikely anyone could approach the compound without being noticed. And, it was far enough away from the nearest city, there wouldn't be anyone to come running to help at the sounds of battle.
Not that anyone on Bekenstien cared enough to do anything either way.
"He's increased security." Isaac shifted next to Jasmine, crouched low to hide behind the tall grass and bushes a few kilometers out from Hock's house. He wore a tactical visor, covering one eye and distorting it from view, allowing him to see far more than either she or Raúl were able; it kind of reminded her of Garrus.
The sun shone brightly overhead, its glare along with the dancing reflection of light off of the lake helped to camouflage their presence. Beyond the water, the empty fields stretched out in either direction, not giving them much to work with. Which was just fine by Jasmine; she was never one to turn away from a challenge. Her relationship with Thane stood as a living testament to her stubbornness, pride, and—at times foolish—bravery.
"Do you think he's been tipped off?" Raúl asked, shifting the weight of the assault rifle in his hands.
"Maybe." Isaac watched in silence for a moment longer. "Either way, we're not getting across those fields in broad daylight."
"Not without casualties, at least," Jasmine added, though it was more just to have something to say, some input into the tactical situation that went above her training.
If she'd been working it alone, she'd have found a way to infiltrate Hock's inner circle, earn his trust … or whatever passed for trust with the arms dealer. She'd probably have to fuck the man, but it wouldn't be the first time she'd slept with a target. She wondered if Thane would've understood it was simply a part of her job. The thought of him inside of another woman, even if it was just so he could fulfill a contract, knotted her stomach and brought bile up to burn the back of her throat.
Raúl glanced at her and grunted. "Probably not either way." He jerked his head in the direction of the nearest guard. "They're wearing heavier armor, we're out in the open with no cover, and it's just the three of us."
Duh.
"He's right, Sunshine." Isaac didn't bother to look away from the looming mansion. "Fall back. We'll take the shuttle to the other side of the compound and see what's going on back there."
"Hello, Brother." Thane offered Rone a smile when his brother answered the call. "I hope you and Kelena are both well."
"We are, indeed. I hope you are well, also." Standing, Rone moved through his apartment, and Thane spotted Kolyat in the background playing a video game with Quinlo. "I am told you will soon be returning to Kahje." Entering his study, Rone closed the door behind him and took a seat at his desk before transferring the call to his laptop.
"Indeed." Thane nodded. "Jasmine is handling some work related things, but it's expected to take no more than a week. When she is finished, we will book a flight to Kahje, along with my cousin, Theodus. I assume Kolyat spoke to you about this?"
"He did, yes." Rone dipped his head and smiled, the simple reaction a good sign in Thane's eyes. "We look forward to meeting this cousin of yours, and rest assured, Brother, his condition will not be a problem for him in our home."
A grin spreading across his face and tension easing in his chest, Thane bowed his head and said, "Thank you, Brother. This means a lot to me, and I am certain it will mean quite a bit to Theodus."
"I am interested, however, in learning more about Theodus." Rone's prod for more information didn't come as a surprise.
"Of course." They'd already discussed what Theodus was comfortable with Thane relaying to his family. "He is a freelance research specialist; he's helped me to secure information for countless contracts, and he's been helping Jasmine to uncover the truth about a matter personal to her."
"I see." Rone seemed to consider that for a moment before speaking again. "Kolyat mentioned you were unaware Theodus was your cousin until recently."
"This is true. As I told Kolyat, after entering the Compact, I failed to keep in contact with my family." Thane leaned forward, folding his hands together on the table. "Theodus is several years younger than I, he was born after I left my home to serve the hanar. He's known for some time, but he struggled to find the courage to reveal himself to me due to the way my uncle and his wife mistreated him as a child."
"After caring for Kolyat and having a child of my own on the way, I am baffled by such things." Rone frowned and sighed. "My heart aches for your cousin, but I am glad that he has shown himself to you, and now he will meet others who will welcome him as family regardless of his appearance."
Slinking into the shadows between spotlights, Jasmine pressed her back to the building. Her heart raced as her cloak dropped, and she counted down the seconds in her head while it recharged. Six meters away, a guard stood with his back to her, an assault rifle in his hand. If he turned around, there was a damn good chance he'd see her despite the puddle of darkness she'd stepped into.
Releasing a pent up breath, she reactivated her cloak when it was time. She put as much distance between herself and the guard, as she could silently cover, before her tactical cloak needed to charge again. She really wished there was a way to make it last more than a few seconds. Maybe Raúl might have some ideas. He might not be the best out of their group when it came to hacking and software, but he certainly understood hardware better than the rest. Of course, asking him meant she needed to play nice for awhile first.
Ew.
Shadow by shadow, she made her way—painstakingly slow—to the cargo door at the back of a warehouse they'd spotted during their scouting. Her job on the mission was to take pictures of whatever was inside the crates stacked up all around the loading area, the locking mechanisms, and other security features on the doors and around the area. She also needed to gain access to a window or door providing a view into the warehouse to plant a surveillance device.
All while avoiding Hock's cameras and guards.
Also, she was fairly certain she'd heard the snarls of some pissed off predator coming from a shed she passed on the way to the warehouse.
So, yeah, no big deal.
Isaac and Raúl were at opposite ends of the compound, performing similar tasks on their own, and she'd lie through her teeth if she said she didn't feel their absence acutely. Of course, she'd never say so to them. Well, at least not to Raúl.
Reaching the edge of the wall, she stopped and peered around the side. Three more guards were stationed in the loading area, though they didn't seem to take their jobs as seriously as the others she'd narrowly slipped past. Two of the men leaned against a stack of crates, playing cards and smoking cigarettes. The third paced lazily up and down the stretch of space cleared between stacks before moving up onto the shuttle platform and disappearing from sight.
She waited, watched, and listened. When she caught sight of the mobile guard again, he moved along the landing pad with his back to her. A quick glance at the other guards told her they remained preoccupied, so she activated her cloak and crouched low for good measure as she moved to cover behind a crate. Much as she'd done to get back to the cargo area, Jasmine moved little by little, stopping only under the cover of darkness or behind crates whenever her cloak needed to recharge.
At last, she found herself tucked away in a secluded area. Slowly standing to her full height—which really wasn't all that tall without her heeled boots—she glanced around to be sure she was well hidden. Content, she set to work checking out the crates.
Perched high up on a narrow ledge, Jasmine eased into the window's alcove and slipped the surveillance device from her pocket. Using the light filtering through the glass, she flipped the tiny switch to activate the device before pressing it against the lower corner of the glass. She glanced around again, making certain her position remained clear of prying eyes, both from the guards outside and anyone who might be inside of the warehouse.
Taking a deep breath, she opened her omni-tool. She needed to connect with the device to be certain she'd positioned it properly. It needed to be securely stuck to the glass in order to clearly pick up soundwaves, and if she didn't angle the camera just right, it was useless.
The moment she gathered the info she needed, she closed her omni-tool, afraid the orange glow might draw unwanted attention if she left it opened a second longer than necessary. Just as she was about to turn around and begin her descent, a glimmer of movement within the warehouse caught her eye. She stopped and watched, trying to locate the source, but she saw nothing for several, long seconds.
And then, out of nowhere, a very feminine figure, clad head to toe in skin-tight clothes in shades of gray and black, stood next to a crate. Jasmine cocked her head and glanced around again, reassuring herself she wasn't in danger of being seen. Turning her attention back to the warehouse floor, she narrowed her eyes, trying to get a better look.
Down below, the woman activated her omni-tool and scanned the crate. She stared at whatever data her omni-tool displayed for a second. Then, her head snapped up as if she'd heard something, and she disappeared once more.
Tapping her mic, Jasmine said, "Bossman, we might have a problem. It looks like we're not the only ones doing reconnaissance here tonight."
The empty fields and lake carried the sound of gunfire, crystal clear, to Jasmine's ears. She stopped and looked back at Hock's compound. "She's in trouble."
"No, Sunshine." Isaac stepped in front of her, blocking her view. Silhouetted by the light coming off of Hock's land, Isaac's features became utterly lost to the darkness, making him a more imposing and intimidating figure. "I don't know who she is or what she's doing here, but she's not one of ours. We can't intervene. Our orders are to gather intel and not be seen. We've done our job, we need to leave."
Looking up, she tried to meet his gaze, but all she saw were the whites of his eyes. "What if she has more intel? She was looking for something in there, Isaac. She might be able to give us more to report back to the Phantoms."
Even if she didn't know who the mystery woman was, Jasmine's gut twisted at the idea of leaving the stranger in there with Hock's guards. They were shooting at her, and it'd seemed like she was there all on her own.
Jasmine had watched the hooded figure weave in and out between crates, shelves, and machinery for a few moments after contacting Isaac. It seemed obvious whatever the woman was after, she thought it was worth risking her life. She didn't stop searching, didn't retreat, not even when the guards caught her scent and started searching for her. She'd just reactivate her cloak and slip past them, moving on to scan the next batch of crates.
Isaac had told Jasmine not to engage when she'd reported the woman's presence over the comms. So she left the spy—or whatever she was—to do her thing and moved on to the rendezvous point to meet Isaac and Raúl. She'd figured if the woman was skilled enough to evade the guards, then she'd be fine on her own.
Hearing shouting—then alarms, vicious snarls, dog-like barks, and finally the staccato rhythm of multiple assault rifles—floating over the lake had brought Jasmine up short, though.
"She has a point," Raúl said, voice soft and neutral, but she suspected he might feel the same way she did.
Isaac sighed and glanced over his shoulder. "Alright, but stay low and behind cover." He turned back, gaze shifting between the two of them. "We'll provide her covering fire, help her get out, but we aren't going back inside. We can't, and we can't let them see our faces. So, helmets on, like it or not."
Bobbing her head in acknowledgement, Jasmine slipped her helmet off the clip at her waist and pulled it down over her head, hating the instant claustrophobic feeling. Unholstering her pistol, she checked it over and activated the armor piercing rounds. Glancing up at Isaac, she gave him another quick nod to indicate she was ready to move out and follow his orders.
It didn't seem to take the mystery woman long to figure out Jasmine and her crew fought against Hock's men. She took right to the whole 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' mentality and seemed to coordinate her stealth strikes with the group of Phantoms firing from the darkness.
"Now you see me, now you don't!" The hooded figure appeared behind a guard and stabbed him in the back before disappearing once more.
The woman's perky, teasing voice brought a smirk to Jasmine's face despite the danger of the situation. It felt almost like an invite, a challenge to come out and play with her, but Jasmine stuck to Isaac's plan and stayed in cover. Picking her targets carefully, she focused on keeping the stranger alive. Her shots, though well aimed, did little more than distract the heavily-armored guards. So, instead, she focused her efforts on taking out the slobbering, sharp-toothed, ugly-ass animals trying to flank the woman's last known location.
Isaac threw a Singularity at a group of guards while the woman stabbed another in the back at the bottom of the stairs. How the hell she'd gotten down there so quickly was a question that'd have to wait for another time. The Singularity pulled three commandos off of their feet and left another two struggling to keep their footing.
Jasmine figured it was as good a time as any to take advantage of the Incinerate technique she picked up from Mordin. Opening her omni-tool, she pressed her back to the crates while she input the command. Her omni-tool whirred, building up energy as it fabricated the flammable projectile. When it was ready, she turned back out and launched the Incinerate at one of the flailing guards caught in the gravitic pull of Isaac's biotics. The flames took hold, leaving their victim nothing but dead weight, limply floating around until the Singularity fizzled out.
"Thanks, I owe you one." The woman turned, glancing back over her shoulder. Just enough light caught her features to show her Asian heritage. "But we should really get going before the rest of Donovan's men manage to break through the lock I scrambled."
"Our shuttle isn't far, just beyond the tree line. A few kilometers that way." Jasmine jerked her head in the direction of the waiting shuttle. "Tell us what you know about Donovan Hock, and we'll give you a lift out of here, call it even."
The woman gave Jasmine an almost condescending smile. "My mother told me to never accept rides from strangers." She flicked her wrist through the air, brushing aside the offer. "I have a skycar waiting, but … I'm willing to swap information."
Jasmine glanced at Isaac, and he gave her an irritated jerk of his head. She frowned, knowing the gesture would be lost behind the visor of her helmet. She hoped he wasn't too upset with all of the carnage, after all, they weren't technically seen. Then again, they'd all hoped the job would go smoothly and no one had to die. They'd seen far too much death lately.
Maybe he just didn't like the woman suggesting they share intel. Especially after they'd just saved her ass. The thought did nothing to assuage the growing sense of guilt weighing heavily on Jasmine's shoulders. Afterall, he only turned back to help because she'd asked him to.
Opening her omni-tool, she primed the contact details for one of her old aliases and moved closer to the stranger. "Alright. You can reach me here." She waved her omni-tool over the other woman's. "Give me a way to contact you and we can get the hell out of this place. I'm starving, and I need a shower."
Flashing her a smile, the woman typed something onto her omni-tool and then waved it over Jasmine's, transferring her details. "I know, I think I could eat a whole pot of dumplings all on my own."
"Rah'kira … I'm surprised to hear from you." Icy cold dread slithered down Thane's spine when he saw his old mentor's face, knowing the call meant something bad happened. He prayed to Arashu it didn't have anything to do with Kolyat. "Is something wrong?"
"Nara Stelak has gone to the sea." Lowering his gaze, Rah'kira took a shuddering breath, tears beginning to fall freely from his eyes. "She wished for me to inform you when her time came, and she asked that I wait for you, if you wish to join us as we give her body to the waves."
Pain lanced through Thane's chest, not the piercing sharpness of his illness, but the suffocating, crushing weight of heartache. "I can be there in a few days." He closed his eyes, a prayer for his den mother running through his mind. "I will contact you as soon as I have reached Kahje."
"Very well," Rah'kira said.
When Thane opened his eyes again, he stared blankly at the blackened screen of his omni-tool, the call already disconnected.